Cable floor structure with offset connectors



Feb. 12, 1963 ac. ECKEL 3,077,149

CABLE FLOOR STRUCTIiRE WITH OFFSET CONNECTORS Filed Aug. 8, 1961 3Sheets-Sheet 1 INV EN TOR.

Feb. 12, 1963 o. c. ECKEL 3,077,149

CABLE FLOOR STRUCTURE WITH OFFSET CONNECTORS Filed Aug. 8, 1961 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 12,1963 O. C.ECKEL T 3, 9

CABLE FLOOR STRUCTURE WITH OFFSET CONNECTORS Filed Aug. 8, 1961 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TOR ig M663 llnitecl rates battens 3,977,149 CABLEFLQQR SIRUCTURE WlTH ()FFSET tCiBNNECTGRS liver 1. Echel, Carlisle,Mass. (155 Faweett Sb, (Iainbridge 33, Mass.) Filed Aug. 8, 1961, Ser.No. 134L107 7 Claims. (Cl. 94-30) This invention relates to a cablefloor structure with connectors that are offset.

One object of my invention is to provide a floor formed of cables thatare attached to offset connectors which extend through I-beam holes thatare in diagonal relationship to each other, whereby the stress on thel-beams is uniformly distributed and the floor cables provide a levelfloor.

Another object is to provide aligning bars for said floor structurehaving holes in horizontal alinement through which offset cableconnectors extend, thus holding the floor cables in one plane and undera straight pull, thereby avoiding undue wear of different parts wherethey intersect or connect.

A further object is to provide such a fioor structure that is simple tomanufacture, relatively easy to install and is unusually durable.

The foregoing and other objects which will appear as the nature or theinvention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction,combination and arrangement of parts such as is disclosed by thedrawings. The nature of the invention is such as to render itsusceptible to various changes and modifications, and there fore, I amnot to be limited to the construction disclosed by the drawings nor tothe particular parts described in the specification; but am entitled toall such changes therefrom as fall within the scope of my claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing my floor structure.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, top plan view of said floorstructure.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective View of my floorstructure. a

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view, showing the tensioning means of myfloor structure connected to an l-beam at one end and to a floor cableat the other end.

PEG. 5 is a side elevational view showing the main supporting means ofmy floor structure.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

As illustrated, my floor structure has well-known main supporting means'7 having upright I-beams 8 and horizontal l-beams ill. The latter eachhas a front flange 12, a web 14- and a rear flange 16. Said front flange12 has holes 18 therethrough, spaced laterally from each other, atopposite sides of said web 14, thus being above and below said web.

Connectors 29, shown as hook bolts, each has an elongate or rod portion22. extending through said holes 18 and which is olfset. It isscrew-threaded at one end, and has a hook portion 24 at the other end.The oifset portion is between said front flange 12 and an aligning bar34, later described.

Movably mounted on each said rod portion 22, at the rear side of saidfront flange 12, is a coil spring so. There are washers 28 and 3d atopposite ends of said rod portions 22, and a bearing member or retainershown as a nut 32 screw-threadedly connects on the rear end portionthereof to thereby retain said coil spring under compression betweensaid front flange 12 and said nut 32. Said connectors 29, coil springs26 and associated parts constitute the tensioning means for my floorstructure.

Aligning bars 34 extend between opposite sides of said floor structure,four being shown. These bars are unattached, hence may be said to float.Each said bar 34 has noles 3:5 therethrough which are in horizontalalinement as shown. Said connector rod portions 22 extend through saidbar holes 36, those that are above said l-beam web 14 being offset so asto extend from said front flange 12 downwardly to enter said holes 35.Those that are below said web are offset so as to extend from said frontflange upwardly to enter said holes 36. The metal or other materialforming said rod portions 22 may be bent and hardened to achieve thisofiset shape.

The main area of my floor structure is formed of wire cables 4-0 one endof each having fastening means shown as a loop i2 which extends around athirnble A clamp 46 makes said wire cable fast by firmly clamping thecable end with the adjacent part of the cable beyond said loop 42.

Said hook portions 2d extend into said loops 42 to thus make the desiredconnections and thus maintain all of said cables evenly to thus achievea level floor without strain or distortion.

As shown in said HG. 1 said cables 49 extend from four sides of theroom, hence, in this instance, they cross each other, and in the usualwoven or under-and-over arrangement.

My floor structure is used for persons to walk upon. It is especiallyadapted for use in chambers where absence of echo is required. Itprovides no surface from which sound waves can be reflected in the audiofrequency range. Such chambers are used in the calibration ofmicrophones, loud speakers and other apparatus.

What I claim is:

1. Floor structure comprising main supporting means embodying I-beamsextending horizontally at opposite sides of said structure each haviru afront flange, a rear flange and a web between said flanges, said frontflange having upper holes and lower holes above and below said webrespectively and spaced laterally from each other, connectors atopposite sides of said structure each embodying an elongate, offset rodportion, a hoolc portion at one end of the latter and bearing meansspaced from said hook portion, said rod portions extending through saidupper and lower flange holes at opposite sides of said structure towardseach other, two aligning bars having holes therethrough in lateralalinement, said ofiset portions of said rods commencing between saidbars and said front flanges and passing through said aligning bar holes,floor cables extending laterally of said structure and connected to saidhook portions, and coil springs around said rod portions bearing againstthe rear faces of said front flanges, and said bearing means.

2. Floor structure comprising main supporting means embodying l-beamsextending horizontally at opposite sides of said structure each having afront flange, a rear flange and a web between said flanges, said frontflange havin" upper holes and lower holes above and below said webrespectively and spaced laterally from each other, connectors atopposite sides of said structure each embodying an elongate, ol'lset rodportion, a hook portion at one end of the latter and a bearing member atan end portion opposite said hook portion, said rod portions extendingthrougl said upper and lower flange holes at opposite sides of saidstructure, two aligning bars unattached to said main supporting meansand having holes therethrough in lateral alineznent, said oifset rodportions extending towards each other and passing through said aligningbar holes, lloor cables extending laterally of said s ucture andconnected to said hook portions, and coil springs around said rodportions, and bearing against the rear faces of said front flanges, andsaid bearing members.

3. Floor structure comprising main supporting means embodying I-beamsextending horizontally at opposite sides of said structure each having afront flange, a rear flange and a web between said flanges, said frontflange having upper holes and lower holes above and below said Webrespectively and spaced laterally from each other,

connectors at opposite sides of said structure each embodying anelongate offset rod portion threaded at one end, a hook portion atanother end of the latter, and a threaded nut at an end portion oppositesaid hook portion, said rod portions extending through said upper andlower flange holes at opposite sides of said structure towards eachother, two aligning bars having holes therethrough in lateral alinement,said offset rod portions extending towards each other and passingthrough said aligning bar holes, floor cables extending laterally ofsaid structure and connected to said hook portions, and coil springsaround said rod portions bearing against the rear faces of said frontflanges and said nuts.

4. Floor structure comprising main supporting meansembodying I-beamsextending horizontally at opposite sides of said structure each having afront flange, a rear flange and a web between said flanges, said frontflange having upper holes and lower holes above and below said webrespectively and spaced laterally from each other, connectors atopposite sides of said structure each embodying an elongate offset rodportion, a hook portion atone end of the latter and a hearing memberspaced from said hook portion, said rod portions extending through saidupper and lower flange holes. at opposite sides of said structure, twoaligning bars having holes therthrough in lateral alinement, said ofisetrod portions extending towards each other and passing through saidaligning bar holes, and floor cables extending laterally of saidstructure having loops at opposite ends connected to said hook portions,and coil springs around said rod portions bearing against the rear facesof said front flanges, and said bearing members.

5. Floor structure comprising main supporting means embodying I-beamsextending horizontally at opposite sides of said structure each having afront flange, a rear flange and a web between said flanges, said frontflange having upper holes spaced from each other and in horizontalalinement and above said web, and lower holes spaced from each other andin horizontal alinement and below said web, connectors at opposite sidesof said structure each embodying an elongate, offset rod portionextending through said upper and lower flange holes at opposite sides ofsaid structure, a bearing member on said rod portion spaced from an endthereof, two aligning bars having holes therethrough in lateralalinement, said offset rod portions extending towards each other andpassing through said aligning bar holes, floor cables eX- tendinglaterally of said structure between and connected to said rod portions,and coil springs around said rod portions bearing against the rear facesof said flanges and said bearing member.

6. Floor structure comprising main supporting means embodying I-beamsextending horizontally at four sides of said structure in angularrelationship to each other and each having a front flange, a rear flangeand a web between said flanges, said front flange having upper holes andlower holes above and below said web respectively and spaced laterallyfrom each other, four connectors at said four sides of said structureeach embodying an elongate offset rod portion, a hook portion at one endof the latter and a bearing member at an end portion opposite said hookportion, said rod portions extending through said upper and lower flangeholes at said four sides of said structure, four aligning barsunattached to said main. supporting means and having holestherethroughin lateral alinement, each pair of said offset rod portionsextending towards each other and passing through said aligning barholes, floor cables extending laterally of said structure in angularrelationship and connected to said hook portions, and coil springsaround said rod portions bearing against the rear faces of said frontflanges and said bearing members.

7. Floor structure comprising main supporting means embodying 'I bearnsextending horizontally at four sides of said structure inangularrelationship to each other and each having a front flange, a rear flangeand a web be tween said flanges, said front flange having upper holesand lower holes above and below said web respectively and spacedlaterally from each other, four connectors at said four sides of saidstructure each embodying an offset rod portion, a hook portion at oneend of the latter and a bearing member at an end portion opposite saidhook portion, said rod portions extending through said upper and lowerflange holes at said four sides of said structure, four aligning barshaving holes therethrough in lateral alinement, each pair of said offsetrod portions extending towards each other and passing through saidaligning bar holes, floor cables extending laterally of said structurein angular relationship and connected to said hook portions, andtensioning means connected to said rod portions and said supportingmeans to hold said cables under tension.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS765,272 Collier July 19, 1904 1,360,924 Gilarski Nov. 30, 1920 FOREIGNPATENTS 354,083 France July 17, 19 05

1. FLOOR STRUCTURE COMPRISING MAIN SUPPORTING MEANS EMBODYING I-BEAMSEXTENDING HORIZONTALLY AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID STRUCTURE EACH HAVING AFRONT FLANGE, A REAR FLANGE AND A WEB BETWEEN SAID FLANGES, SAID FRONTFLANGE HAVING UPPER HOLES AND LOWER HOLES ABOVE AND BELOW SAID WEBRESPECTIVELY AND SPACED LATERALLY FROM EACH OTHER, CONNECTORS ATOPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID STRUCTURE EACH EMBODYING AN ELONGATE, OFFSET RODPORTION, A HOOK PORTION AT ONE END OF THE LATTER AND BEARING MEANSSPACED FROM SAID HOOK PORTION, SAID ROD PORTIONS EXTENDING THROUGH SAIDUPPER AND LOWER FLANGE HOLES AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID STRUCTURE TOWARDSEACH OTHER, TWO ALIGNING BARS HAVING HOLES THERETHROUGH IN LATERALALINEMENT, SAID OFFSET PORTIONS OF SAID RODS COMMENCING BETWEEN SAIDBARS AND SAID FRONT FLANGES AND PASSING THROUGH SAID ALIGNING BAR HOLES,FLOOR CABLES EXTENDING LATERALLY OF SAID STRUCTURE AND CONNECTED TO SAIDHOOK PORTIONS, AND COIL SPRINGS AROUND SAID ROD PORTIONS BEARING AGAINSTTHE REAR FACES OF SAID FRONT FLANGES, AND SAID BEARING MEANS.